Eyeglass case lining



' July 29, 1941. c. R. JERRY EYEGLASS' CASE LINING Filed Jan. 28, 1938 INVENTEIE CARL R JERRY QZI MW ATTORNEYS Patented July 29, 1941 TEmmce I EYEGLASS CASE LINING Carl Roland Jerry, Rochester,

N. Y., assignor to Shuron Optical Company, Inc., Geneva, N; Y., a a corporation of New York Application January 28,1938, Serial No. 187,490

3 Claims.

My invention relates generally to eyeglass or spectacle cases and, more particularly, to a novel method of minimizing fraying oi the velvet lining of the lid or cover of 'the case and the article produced by such method.

The conventional eyeglass case, with which we are concerned, has a'bodyportion and "a lid portion hinged with respect to the body portion. The case is usually made of metal such as'sh'eet steel or aluminum and is pressed or otherwise formed into the'desired shape. The body portion has a turned over front longitudinal edge partly overlying the eyeglasses when in the case. The case is provided witha spring, usually mounted and arranged in the casing adjacent thehinge, so as to hold the lid either. in afully opened -or a fully closed position. .The metal casing, normally only on the outside, is covered with fabric, although leather and other coverings have been used, which is treated with suitable materials so that the fabric will adhere to the casing and form an attractive case. The fabric material, in covering the lid of the case, is extended over the down-turned edge of the front and sides of the lid and usually terminates on the inside of the lid a short distance from the edge thereof. A fabric lining is then applied to the inside of the case by a suitable adhesive. The lining is usually of velvet or other material having a nap or pile adapted to provide a smooth cushiony surface unlikely to cause injury to the glasses by scratching or otherwise as the glasses are inserted in or removed from the case.

One of the problems encountered with eyeglass cases provided with a velvet lining is that the velvet, particularly the lining of the lid, becomes frayed and raveled at the edges. Not only is the raveling of the velvet at the edges unsightly but, in time, the lining becomes loosened from the case or so damaged that the case must be discarded. Numerous attempts have been made to correct this difiiculty but most of these methods are relatively expensive, and, so' far as I am aware, no commercially practical and inexpensive method has heretofore been devised.

An object of my invention is the provision of a method of preventing or at least minimizing the fraying or raveling of the edge of the lining of the lid of spectacle cases.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an extremely simple and inexpensive method of protecting the velvet or other fabric lining of the inside of the lid of a spectacle case from raveling and pulling away from the case.

Still another object of my invention is to provide, as an article of manufacture, an eyeglass case wherein the velvet or'other fabric-lining of the inside of the lid is sotreate'd as to'prevent or at least minimize the possibility of the lining becoming frayed and raveled. g

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: r r 4 Figure 1'isa'perspec'tiveview of the-eyeglass case, 'in which my invention is 'incorporatedthe case being'shown in opened-position. Figure 2 is a" sectional view shovn'ng the dies adapted'to be used in carrying outfniy novel method. 1

Figure 3 is 'a perspective view showing the bottom'die or rest upon which' the lid'of-the" ease isplaced.

Figure 4' is a' perspectiveview of the forming and pressing die inverted.

The eyeglass case, in which my invention is incorporated and to which my novel method may be applied, may be made in the usual manner by pressing or otherwise forming sheet steel or other materials into the desired case shape. The

case comprises a body portion or eyeglass receiving portion ll having an inturned lip I'Zat its front edge and a lid l3 hinged at M with respect to the body portion. The lid has an inturned marginal edge l6 which engages the upwardly turned side edges I! of the case and the inturned lip I 2 when the case is closed. The case may be provided with a spring, not shown, which is arranged in the case adjacent the hinge so as to snap and to hold the lid either in an opened or closed position.

The entire outer surface of the case may be covered with fabric l8, or other material, which is adhesively applied to the case or secured thereto in any suitable manner. As shown in Figure 2, the fabric covering is turned over the edge of the lid, as indicated at a short distance inward from the edge of the lid. Velvet 2| or other suitable material having a nap or pile is then adhesively applied to the inside of both the body portion and lid which, as indicated at 22, covers the spring and the hinge. The outer border of the velvet of the lid overlaps the inturned edge of the fabric l8, as shown in Figure 2, so that the border of the lining is exposed adjacent the edge of the lid. In use, the edge of the lining becomes frayed and raveled. I have found that this raveling of the edge of the lining may be appreciably diminished, if not entirely prevented, by pressing and matting l9, and terminates the material at the edge thereof so that the nap or pile is ironed and flattened, so that it may be likened in appearance to a selvage. This may be accomplished by a set of dies 23 and 24, such as illustrated in Figure 2.

The lower die 23 constitutes a rest for the lid and comprises a block of metal 25, a framing 26 for the lid and a pad 21 for the reception of the lid. The framing 25 and the pad 21 are conformed in shape to the lid which is placed on the die in the positior indicated in Figure 2. The die 24 may be made of a block of metal having a raised part 28, the upper edge 29 of which isv shaped to conform to the inside edge of ,the cover.

Beyond the edge or operating ri-m the die is cut away. The edge 29 constitutes a forming or pressing element, is beveled, as indicated at 38 in Figure 2, and is approximately one-eighth of an inch wide. The pressing edge is adapted to engage a narrow band of the velvet lining at the margin thereof to press and mat the nap of the velvet. The rear side of the die 24 is cut away at 3|] and a cut-out portion is provided at 3i, at the back of the die toallow room for the spring.

Heating elements 32 are mounted in a bore in the die 24 and are adapted to heat the die to a temperature of approximately 150 Fahrenheit. This temperature is sufficient to soften the adhesive by which the velvet lining is applied to the case and tends to draw it into the fabric and nap and aids in holding the nap in matted flatt ened condition after it has been pressed. While a pressed condition of the edge of the lining to a certain extent may be obtained without heating and by pressure, the most satisfactory condition of the nap is obtained when the die is heated and pressed against the edge of the lining. A small amount of pressure is sufiicient to flatten the nap.

It will be appreciated that when the nap or pile at the edge of the lining is flattened and matted it is unlikely to become frayed or raveled as the case is used. While I have described the preferred method by which my invention is carried out, I do not desire to be so limited. The beneficial results of my invention may be at least partly attained by pressure alone, or by heat alone without any appreciable pressure.

I claim:

1. A nap fabric lining for an eyeglass case lid,

' wherein the edges of said lining are exposed to wear, characterized by a margin of flattened matted nap adjacent the edges of said lid lining forming a substantially smooth wear-resistant portion.

2. A nap fabric lining for an eyeglass case lid, wherein the edges of said lining are exposed to wear, characterized by a margin of flattened matted nap adjacent the edges of said lid lining, said matted portion being at least partly bound in the matted condition by means of an adhesive.

3. A method of producing a substantially nonravelling margin at the wear exposed edges of a nap fabric lining for the lid of an eyeglass case wherein the edges of said lining are exposed to wear, comprising applying the lining to the interior of the case by means of an adhesive, treating the marginal portions only of said lining to an application of heat and pressure, thereby flattening and matting said nap adjacent the edges of said lining and softening said adhesive, removing said heat and pressure, and allowing said adhesive to set, whereby said nap in said treated marginal portion is permanently flattened, matted and bound.

CARL ROLAND JERRY. 

